Quote of the Day

 ....most mistake the end, and form

a wrong notion of

happiness; and then no

wonder that they

miss the way; they choose

their own delusions,

and court a shadow. 

Matthew Henry

Complete Commentary On The Whole Bible

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity...” ― John Muir

We returned safe and sound from our annual

pilgrimage to Silverton.  If you need a place to go

and forget your troubles you should try this 

place in the mountains.  It is medicine!

David took his teachers and priests and

mia maids and laurels.  He really wanted to

treat them to something special and to him

it isn't any better than the San Juans.

A side note:  David has a whopper cold sore

from the stress of being the leader.  It popped

up this morning.  He never appeared stressed

over anything but then that is part of being the

leader.  

I always have a low level of fear when we

take to the trails.  I love the sites and the

flowers and the water and even the heights

but the roads scare me.  I think about where

we traveled when I am falling asleep after a
day on the trails and I shutter.
After all these trips to Silverton

I still get scared.

Here are our pictures....in no particular order.

Flowers!  I really wanted to show all the

woman and girls the flowers but the
flowers weren't out in all
their beauty and abundance.
They have not had much rain
so it wasn't nearly as

beautiful as other years.  

Coming from Arizona I am always amazed

by the water.  Even when they say they are

in a drought there is water running everywhere.

We camped at this park and we did a service

project for them.  The kids cleared a trail of

big rocks and smoothed it out.  The lady who

owns the place is older and she really appreciated

the help.

Official cars of the San Juans.

On top of Imogene.  

David loved having all these

people with him.

Yes, he took Bigfoot.  It ran great!

Sunday morning at the LDS branch.  This

was one of the best Sundays ever.  We loved

their sacrament meeting and our Sunday 

School lesson.  Tiny little chapel with the

spirit wall to wall!  Just loved it!

Young men following their Bishop to church.

Two of these girls are leaving for college

in two weeks.  They will be missed.  

David loves the youth of our ward.

Riding home after church.

This is the only picture I have of

Richie Crockett.  He heard David was

going to Silverton and asked to come

along and be the cook.  He runs a

restaurant so he ordered the food

and he organized the kitchen and 

the meals.  It was a great help to David.

First thing in the morning looking west

at Silverton.

 My pictures of the mountains cannot

begin to give the feeling of their majesty.

We did a eight mile hike on Thursday.

It was just the best because of

trails like this.

FJ patrol.  There were a ton of

these guys on the roads.  We thought

they looked like ladybugs or turtles.

I have to say it would probably be

nice to drive one.

 Tourist stop at Red Mountain.

David was loving it.

The kids loved riding in Bigfoot.

I have to say that the girls were

easier to ride with than the boys.

The boys drove me crazy.

Tunnel on the million dollar highway.

Which, by the way, was named this

because there are diamonds (millions worth)

in the road bed.  Evidently they were

discovered when the road was engineered

and left there and the road built over it.

I had not heard that before but some of the

folks with us said they had taken a tour

and the guide had told them that.

You  have to enlarge this picture.

There is a doe and her twin fawns

crossing the street.  They were so

cute.  

Ouray.  

Again,  my pictures DO NOT

give you the feeling.

This is on the trail to Imogene.  We have

friends in Show Low who came up here 

for the first time IN THEIR MOTORHOME 

and got stuck under here.  They had to

get up under the overhang and take off the

air conditioner and whatever else was

on the top of the motorhome.  

Needless to say they found a place and

turned around.  There is no way a

vehicle like that could make it up

Imogene.  You can't tell but the left side
of this trail is a 1200+ ft. drop. Scary.....

Brett Rigg on top of a beautiful

waterfall.  And that is Richie

and his daughter, Courtley.  We

also had some of the boys get themselves

stuck out in the middle of the falls.

See how boys are.......

This is our group headed up to 

Yankee Basin.

 More Yankie Basin.

Heading off to church Sunday morning.

  

I love going up on the mountain to

the north of town and visit the cemetery.

 It tells so many stories.

These "tree" headstones have

an interesting story.  (thanks to my

smart phone we looked it up on the spot)

If you were alone here and

you knew you would have the

possibility of not surviving you

could get an insurance policy

that guaranteed a headstone for you

on your grave.  It would have the

insignia "woodman of the world"

or "women of the woodcraft"

engraved on it.  That was the

name of the insurance company.

I just liked the name Canfield.....thought it

might be a good name for a grandson....Canny for short.

Brothers.  These are new grave markers.  There

is a society trying to identify and upgrade the

cemetery.  There are 3000 people buried there

and only 1000 have been identified.

What?  I guess when you died in Silverton
and you were the only family member
living there the stone cutter didn't really
worry about consequence if he messed up
your headstone.  This one may have been
intentional but some had obvious mistakes.

 Another cute name....hint....hint.

 Gotta love those insurance policies....or not.

OK, if I get hit in the head and die don't worry

about putting that on my headstone.  

This insurance company was on a roll.

Isn't "Mittie" a cute name?  Maybe

Mitt Romney was a Mittie when he

was a boy.

Who says I can't tent camp?

I didn't get one picture of Carol Thompson.

She was my bud this trip.  We rode up and

back together.  I sure appreciated her.

I have always admired Carol and it was great

to get to hang with her in the mountains.

I wish I had a picture!

The images of the San Juans

are still in my mind.  Those mountains

speak of God's creations like

nothing else can.  It is worth the trip.

Quote of the Day

When we blame someone or something

 for our adverse circumstances or 

situation, we have effectively removed ourselves

 from the capacity to fix or improve the 

problem at hand as “the problem is 

now HIS or HERS to fix”.  We tend then to sit 

back andwait/watch 

someone else fix OUR problem.

My Circle of Influence

Actually, I mean my circle of caring.  When life comes

down to it I will never be an influence on anyone

except those I care for.  And that would be my

husband, my children and grandchildren, my

neighbors, friends and those of my faith.  

 I can do nothing on any scale

to make one ounce of difference with anyone

but those  I can care for.  That

is not resignation....it is realization.

Each week there is a new hot topic...that

one passes and another takes it place.

And then I forget what last week's so important

topic was.  For me it is becoming a distraction

to what matters most.

And what matters most are the

things that don't fade with the weeks end.

And we have had some busy weeks

with people we love the most.

 Mike and Abbey.  We saw them the last of May

when they came camping.  How fun is it to make believe...

even if it means you get to carry the purse.

QUINN'S BAPTISM

Two of our grandchildren have now been baptized.

It is a wonderful thing to see your children nurturing

their children and guiding them to the Savior.  

David and me with Jett, Mel, Parks, Quinn (the man 

of the hour) Megan and Paiser in front. 

 Pete and Brittany made the trip.  Pete flew back

Sunday and Brittany stayed 3 more days.  It was

good of her to stay and let family linger and

cousins bond.

 Quinn is a boy everyone likes.  He has made

Arkansas his home and he is involved in

sports, music and church.  I didn't even want

to ask him if he misses Arizona.....I know the answer.

   

 This is cool!  These children are the 4th generation

in the picture.  From the left:  John's mom and 

husband, George, then great grandparents Noreen 

and Lyle, and then Jill and John.

 The power of family.  These guys are native to

Arizona but together they have made a life

in Arkansas.  They strengthen each other.

 I know how it feels to love your siblings.

So I love this picture.  There is a lot of

growing and going through life and it

is a good thing to have those people who

shared it from the beginning.

Jill is more beautiful every time I see her.

I wonder when I won't draw a crowd to

read a book to.

This scene might be shocking to some!  David

rarely plays board games.  Way to go Dave!

Quinn loves Monopoly and really gets 

that you need to buy Boardwalk and Park Place.

Parker buys but won't sell!  

4TH OF JULY

 Speaking of siblings.....This is Jeff on my

front porch listening to stimulating conversation. 

zzzzzzzzz...

 At the Parade:  Grandpa keeping Piper

who was bored with the parade.

Lee and Heidi.....hoping Bode and Laine

can get them some good candy!

 Uncle Aaron doing the fireworks honors. 

Oh those smart phones......

I just love how children can soak

up the most simple things and

find excitement.  Bode and Laine

were so wide eyed.

THE MOUNTAINS

 These concrete stairs are by

the store at Big Lake.  We have a

a lot of photos with family on these steps.

 Happy mom and children!

 See the left corner of my top?  I

have no idea how long I wondered around

with that sucker stuck to me.

Lee and Daisy.

We do enjoy being in the mountains

with family.

WESTOVERS

When our children were smaller we spent

a lot of time with Neal and Denise and

their children.  We have good memories.

We used to talk and talk.

It is interesting now to get together

with them.  They invited us down to

visit with them and their children and

grandchildren.  We tried to have some

good conversations but grand kids are

the main attraction.  Neal and Denise

would be talking and one of their

grandchildren will crawl up on their

lap and they forget everything else.

I totally understand that.

It was interesting to think about.

I know when I am with my family

I can forget the rest of the world.

I don't know how I get so consumed

but I do.  

 Marielle and Drew  and their daughters,

 Aisley and Brightly.

I remember their names because they are

so cute!

 Jada is one of my favorite people.  

Ya, I love Todd too. 

 Chad and Tiffany and one of their babies.

 Jessica and John.  This girl John is holding

is actually Kay Lynn who belongs to

Chad.  They have twins and Blake, who is

in the picture.  The twins are very busy

boys....to say the least.

It's been a good month!

I love my circle!